Shaft core drill



Aug.' 17, 1937. J, B, NEwgoM 2,090,304

SHAFT CORE DRILL Filed Nov. 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIE-:L- FIE E l k. I 4

WWA//A Y INVENFOR.

-m /05 n /05` I n 7 ATTORNEY.

V Aug. 17, 1937. J. B. NEwsoM 2,090,304

SHAFT CORE DRILL Filed Nov. 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M A L INVENTOR. P.jo/7n Mem/50m BY I/ ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 17, 17937 n n i UNITE STATES PATENT FFICE SHAFT CORE DRILL John Brauner Newsom, Nevada City, Calif., as-

signor to Idaho Maryland Mines Corporation, San Francisco, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application November z3, 193s, sei-ini No. 112,266

11 oionns. (ci. 255;-4)

This application is a continuation in part of shaft drill taken at right angles to the dril my application Serial No. 15,226 i'lled April 8, shown in Figure 1. 1935, now Patent 2,065,725 of Dec. 29, 1936, for a Figure 3 is a plan view of the drill shown in Method of Core Drilling, and relates to core drills Figure 1.

5 for sinking mine shafts. Figure 4 is a section taken on the line ,4-4 of 5 It has been the practice for many years to Figure 2.v l sink large size shafts such as mining shafts by Figure 5 is a plan View of the spider shown means of explosives, and it is well known that the intermediate the pilot house and core drill in walls of a shaft sunk in this manner are rough Figure 1.

l0 and irregular and consequently have to be tim- Figure 6 is a cross section taken on the line 10 bered. In a mine ofv any size a crew has to be 6-6 of Figure 1. maintained for the sole purpose of replacing the Figure I is a vertical section taken through the shaft and tunnel timbers. Small diameter core combined core barrel and core puller shown in drills have been used for many years, and are Figure 1 but with the core puller locked in enfamiliar to most mining engineers. However, gagement with the core.

these drills have been used mainly for sampling Figure 8 is an enlarged detail section taken on and for providing passages for liquid. As far as I the line 8-8 of Figure 6. i

am aware, a core drill has never been designed My invention contemplates the use of a cylinand successfully employed prior to the developdrical pilot house l within which is suspendedr ment work on which this application is based, for a drive shaft 2, to which is sec red at its lower 20 drilling large diameter shafts (five feet or larger) end a core drill 3. 'The pilot h use and the core and to the depth required for mining operations. drill are preferably made from 1/2" plate, and One of the objects of this invention is the the pilot house is reinforced by means of spaced provision of a method of sinking a. large diameter channel bars 4, 5, 6 and 1, bent to conform to its shaft in which a core drill is employed. shape and welded or otherwise secured thereto. Another object of the invention is the provision SUDDOTted by the IOWeImOSt Channel bal' 1 ie of a. mechanism for sinking a large diameter shaft a pair 0f spaced -beems 9. and 9 Which in tum comprising acylindrical pilot house; adrive shaft support the bearing members Il and l2. The depending from the pilot house and secured et channel bar 6 supports a wood flooring I3 and ao its 1ower end to e core drill; and means within the also a pair of spaced channels I4 and I5, which 30 pilot house for rotating said shaft and controlling in turn support a. plate l5 Depending from and its vertical movement. secured to the plate I6 is a bearing l1 in align- Another object of ,the invention is the prcviment with the bearing Il and within which the sion of e eel-e drm provided with e, relatively shaft 2 is adapted to rotate. Keyed to the shaft movable pilot house which may be occupied by 2 between the bearings and I1 iS 8. 0r 35 ari operator during the actual drilling operations. geel' Wheel is adapted' t0 be driven by a v91111011 stm another object of tne invention 1s the '9 Carried by the horizontal Shaft 2'- Which 2in provision of a combinedcore barrel and core tum is supported by spaced bearings n and 2' puller for removing cores from mme shafts- Secured to theintermediate portion of the shaft. 4 The invention possesses other advantageous 2| 15 a' gear 23 adapted to be driven by the be 40 features, some of which with the foregoing will 2| Which DaSSeS Ove! the pulley 25 0f the mOtOl' be set forth at length in the following description 25- AS Shown in Figures 1 'and 2 the motel' 25 where that form of the invention which has been 1S Supported by the channel bars H and I5 EX' selected for iuustretion in the drawings eccomtending upwardly from the plate I6 1s a rectangupenying and forming o part of the present specilar frame made up cf channel bars 26 which 45 ncaton is outlined in full. In said drawings, one may be Secured t0 the Plate l5 and t0 the rOOf form 'of the invention is shown, but it is to be 01 Ceiling 21 0f the Pilot house in any Suitble understood that it 1s not limited to such form, manner, such as for example by angle bars 2e since the invention as set forth in the claims may end plates 29. Secured tc the lower Side cf the be embodied in a plurality of forms. roof 21 are a pair of spaced depending brackets 50 Referring to th'e drawings: 3l which serve as bearings, for the shaft 32 and Figure 1 is a longitudinal cross section of a vto the, outer ends of which are attached pulleys shaft drill embodying the objects of my inven- 33. Slidably disposed within the rectangular tion. frame formed by the channel bars 26' is a block' Figure 2 iS a longitudinal cross section of a 34 adapted to engage the lower face of a. collai 55 35 bolted or otherwise secured to the shaft 2. The block 34 and in turn the shaft 2 are adapted to be lowered and raised by a winch 36 operatively connected to the block 34 by ropes or cables 31.. Disposed at spaced points within the channel bars 4 and 5 are a plurality of wall jacks consisting of nuts 38 held in position by clips 39 and screws 4| passing through the nuts and adapted to be driven into the Walls of the shaft 42.

'I'he function of the screws 4| is to center and level the cylindrical pilot house I within the shaft and to simultaneously anchor it within the shaft in its centered position. As an aid in leveling the pilot house, spirit levels may be conveniently located on its framework.

The core drill 3 comprises a cylindrical core barrel |04 surrounded at its upper end with a plate |05 and carryingat its lower end a drillshoe |06. The shoe |06 is formed with a recess |01 for receiving the lower end of the barrel |04 and it is to be noted that the only portions of the core drill engaging the walls of the shaft are the plate |05 and the outer surface of the shoe |00. By using this type of construction the frictional resistance between the core drill and the shaft is materially reduced, thereby permitting the motor 20 to be much smaller than would otherwise be necessary. The shoe |08 is provided with slots |00 for accommodating shot in the usual manner. Secured within the upper inner end of the barrel |04 is a band |09 of angle iron, to the under face of which are riveted two Adiametrically opposed sets lof plates VRiveted to the lower faces of these plates is a pair of angle irons ||2 symmetrically disposed on either side of a diameter of the core barrel. Diametrically opposed to the plates and riveted to the upper face of the band |09 are two diametrically oppose sets of plates ||3. Riveted 40 to the plates ||3 an to plates ||4 carried on the angle irons ||2 are spaced angle irons ||5. Ac-

commodated within die central square dened by the angle irons ||2and I5 isa block I I6 through which the lower end of the shaft 2 is threaded 45 and which is secured in place by a bolt passing through the shaft 2, block ||0 and angle irons I5. Angle irons ||0 riveted to the band |09 serve as rests forsupporting the pilot house or a spider to be laterdescribed.

Telescopically disposed within the vrcore barrel |04 is a cylindrical core puller |2| formed with longitudinal slots |22 for permitting its lower end q to be radially contracted or expanded. 'Ifhe lower peripheral surface of the core puller 2| is provided with dogs or serrations |23 for'gripping the core |24 and with an inclined lor beveled surface |25 adapted to engage a complementary .inclined surface |28 formed on the shoe |00. Ex-

tending across and secured to the angle ironsi I2 e0 are pins |21 arranged to carry latches |20. 'I'he depending ends of the latches |28 are adapted to engage a band |29 riveted or welded to the upper end of th core barrel |2I. Removable bolts |3| associated with angle irons ||2 serve to lock the latches |28 in engagement with the band |29. Secured to and in spaced relation about the band |29 are a 'number of upwardly extending arms |32, the upper ends of which are apertured in order to accommodate cablesfor moving the core puller |2| longitudinallywith respect to the core barrel |04. Y

In view-.of the above construction it will be seen that with the core puller |2| lheld in its suspended position by the latches |28 as shown in Figure 1.

the serrations |23 of the core puller are free lscrews 4| give way, there will be no and clear of the core |24. By disengaging the latches |20 from the band |29 and raising the core barrel |04, the relative movement between the complementary beveled or inclined surfaces |25 and |20 so produced, wedges the serrations |23 in engagement with the core |24. To release the core, the core puller |2| is moved upwardly relative to the core barrel |04.

In my prior application above referred to, one method of breaking a core of! at its base was described. According to that method, the core was broken oil' by the use of a wedge inserted in the kerf formed as a result of thedrilling operation. The same result may be obtained by setting on' a charge of dynamite at the bottom of thev kerf. For this purpose, as shown in Figures 6 and 8, a Pipe .i 33 extending through the angle iron |09, between the core barrel and core puller,

and through the drill shoe |00, is provided so that a stick of dynamite |34 may be lowered to' the bottom of the lxerf` |35 and set on either by means of a fuse or a remote control electrical circuit. The pipe |33 serves to key ,the core barrel tothe core puller, although other means may be provided for the purpose of'preventing relative rotation between these two members. In either case, that is, whether a wedge or dynamite is used, it is essential that the length of the y core |24 be not less than its diameter, forthe fracture produced by either means will take the shortest path. If the length of the core is greater than its diameter. the shortest possible line of fracture starting from any point at the base of the kerf is in a plane substantially at right angles to the axis of the core. Ii' on the other hand the diameter of the core is greater than its length, any other` line or plane of fracture Vis shorter than. a line orplane taken along a diameter ofthe core.

Intermediate the pilot house and the core drill 3 is a spider generally designated as 40, comprising a frame 5| adapted to carry a plurality of spaced screws 52. fl'he center of the frame 0| serves as a bearing for the shaft 2, and therefore it will be seen that the spider 49 maybe used to prevent the shaft 2 from whipping when the core drill is in its extended position. Although not shown, the spider is provided with means for suspending it from the pilot house and holding it in any predetermined position while the screws 52 arebeing adjusted.

aAs best shown in Figure 3 the plate 21 which forms the ceiling of the pilot house is provided with trap doors 05 and. 50 through whichan operator may pass in order tolgain entrance to the pilot house. 'I'he upper periphery, of the shell of the pilot house extends above Vthe ceiling 21 and is bent inwardly as at 51 (Figures 1 and 2) so that the pilot house may be pulled upwardly within the shaft. i In etl'ect this upper periphery of the pilot house shellforms Va guide member for the pilot house during its upward movement through the shaft.- To the upper end of the shaft 2 is boltedra ring 50 to which a cable may be secured for `the purpose of raising and lowering the entire mechanism. and also for the purpose of suspending the shaft drill in any predetermined position. If desired, the ring l50 may be a swlveled ring so that the cable can twist without producing a torque on the drill. "Ordinarily the screws 4| serve to anchor the pilot house in position, but asa safeguard it is advisable to keep the cable secured to the ring r50 taut so that if by any chance the danger of dropping the entire mechanism.

aoaomv v `thereby lift ,the'core tothe surface with the entire vThe operation of the drill as abovedescribed is asfollows: Ifthe shaft has been vpartially bored, the muck is removed from'thebottomy of the shaft and the bottom of the shaft cleaned up by means of a skip operatingin the usual man- -ner, but without the use of guides secured to the walls of the shaft. Guides cannot be used for the .reason thatthe entire drill must be periodically raised to the top of the shaftin order to remove the core. The shaft drill is lowered to the bottom of the shaftby means of the cable secured to the ring 58, so that the core drill 3 rests on the floor of the shaft. The pilot house is thencentered within the shaft and anchored therein by means of ,the screws 6|. The operator who is standing on the floor `I3 of the pilot `house starts the electric Vmotor. 26 which is supplied with electriccurrentby means of suitable cables, passing upwardly through the ceiling of the pilot-house to the top of the shaft. Preferably themotor 26 should be of the variable speed type. Obviously `the rotation of the motor operates to rotate the yshaft 2 and consequently the core drill 3.. As is A the usual practice, steel shots are periodically. in-

'troduced to the bottom of the drillshoe W6 and thisis preferably accomplished by introducing the shot between the walls of the shaft'IZ and the outer base of the core barrel |04'.` At this time the spider 49 may be allowed to rest on top of the core drill 3. The core drill isrthon gradually lowered as the drilling progresses, by' means of the winch 36. In this connection itshould'be particularly noted that since the kcore drill is about ten feet long the operator isv always within 5 20 or 25 feet of the cuttingedge, ofthe core drill.

This is of considerable importance for the rate of lowering the core drill depends entirely upon the nature A'being sunk, and this in turn can onlyY be deter- 40 mined by sound, by the` heat generated in drilling,

and bythe manner in whichrthe drill appears to be operating. The rate at which drilling is allowed to progress is largely a matter of experience, but the judgment of the operator is materially aided by .being close to the point of operation rather than at a remote distance as is the case in most drilling operations. After the core drill 3 has progressed; several feet it may then be advantageous to adjust the spider 49 in- ;0 termediate the core drill and the pilot house for the purpose of preventing any whipping or lashing of the shaft 2. This may be done by the operator by lowering himself through a trap door in the iioor |3 and lowering the spider 49 to the desired point by means of suitable cables as above described and then adjusting the screws e2. The drilling operation produces cuttings in the form of heavy sand which can vbe collected as drilling progresses by means of a bucket resting on top of the core, all as set forth in my application Serial When the core drill 3 has completed its full stroke of ten feet or so, the core is broken away at its base as previously described. In breaking 55 the core o, the core drill is raised a foot or so in order to allow room for the stick of dynamite introduced through the pipe |33. After the core is broken off, the core barrel and core puller,

are lowered to the bottom of the kerf, the core puller is reelased from the latches |28, and the entire mechanism is raised to the surface by means of the hoisting cable secured to the ring 58. As above explained, the upward movement of the core barrel relative to the core puller causes the serrations |23 to grip the core and mechanism.

of the rock through `which .the shaft is At the surface, the drill together with the core is moved to one sidebymeansof a crane 'and while the core is being released vfrom the `'core puller the shaftcan becleaned outin preparation fora further drilling4 operation. o 4

During the past year a shaft drill asabove de- -scribed has been used under my direction for drilling a ve foot diameter shaftatthedaho Maryland mineV in Grass Valley, California, and although numerous changes' in design had to be made as the work progressed, a shaft over 1100 feet in depth was drilled at a cost considerably under the costs usually incurred in similar'drilling` operations.

' If the motor should burnout, noxious Agases would be vproducedv which might suffocate the operator. Furthermore,4 considerablel heat-'is developed during the drilling operation. For these reasons it has been found desirable to provide the pilot house with a valved airline extending from the tcp of the shaft so that a controlled supply 'of air may always be available.

Cylindrical asherein used in reference to the pilot house I .is not to be construed as limited to 'a circular cylinderbut rather lin its broad geometric sense.'` As a matter.. of fact, the pilot house may consistA of merelyja suitablev framework coveredA at the top to protect theoperator and containing the workng Arriechanismabove described.

I claim: y l i l 1. A shaft sinking mechanism comprisingz' a cylindrical pilot house; a core drill disposed below and co-axialy with said pilot house, the .length of said core' drill being not less than` its'diameter;

. a drive shaft movablysuspended from .the pilot house and secured at its lowerV end to the core drill; and means within rthe -pilot house forrotating said, shaftfand controllingthe relative longitudinalmovement between the shaft and the pilot'house. l l

2. A shaft sinking mechanism comprising: a cylindrical pilot house; means associated with said pilot house for detachably securing it in any pre-determined position within a shaft; a core drill disposed below and co-axially with said pilot house, the length of said core drill being i not less than its diameter; a drive shaft movably suspended from the pilot house and secured at `its lower end to the core drill; and means within the pilot house for rotating said shaft and controlling the relative longitudinal moveo ment between the shaft and the pilot house.

3. A shaft sinking mechanism comprising: ay

cylindrical pilot house; a core drill disposed below and co-axially with said pilot house, the'V length of said core drill vbeing not less than its diameter; a drive shaft movably suspended from the pilot house and secured at its lower end to the core drill; a spider intermediate the pilot house and core drill for supporting the drive shaft against lateral movement; and means within the i pilot house for rotating said shaft and controlling the relative longitudinal movement between the shaft and the pilot house.

4. A shaft sinking mechanism comprising: a..

closed cylindrical pilot house; a drive shaft depending from the pilot house and secured at its lower end to a core drill, the length of said core drill being not less than its diameter; and means within the pilot house for rotating said shaft and controlling its vertical movement.

5. A shaft sinking mechanism comprising: a cylindrical pilot house having a floor and ceiling;

doors'in saidtno'or andpceiiingfojr permitting `im .operator to pass therethrough; a'drive shaft depending from the pilot'house and secured at its f lewver end toY a core drill, the length o! saidcore y s drill being not less than itstdiameterzuand means within the piiotnouse for, rotating said shaft Y and controlling the relative longitudinal movej ment between the shaft and theV pilot house.

, 6. A shaft sinking mechanismcomprising: a

- cylindrical pilot house; a' plurality ot spaced Vindividually operated screws extending outwardly through said pilot house for centering and Ysecuring'the pilot house Ain.` any predetermined positlon within a shaft; a drive shaft extending l5 through the pilot house and secured at its lower end to a core drill; the length ofl said corel drill beingjnot less'than its diameter; a gear wheel seated within thepilot h ouse and keyed to the drive shaft so; as to permit relative longitudinal movement betweenthe gear wheel and the drive shaft; means `for rotating the gear wheel and means within they pilothouse'ior lowering and 1 raising the drive shaft.

v7. A shaft sinking mechanlsmicomprlsinm a cylindrical pilot house; a drive'shaft extending throughv said pilot house and securedat its lower end to a corebarrel; v'a cylindrical core puller telescopically disposed within said core barrel; means for `radially expanding andrcontracting Ua0'tl'iek lower periphery oi' said core puller:` and means withinsaid pilot-house'for rotating theV v drive shaft and controlling itsverti'cal [movement. n y 8. Ash'aft sinking Vmechanism comprising: a

3cylindrical pilot house; a drivev shaft extending 4 through the lower end oi' said pilot house and y' .secured at its lower end 'to' aV core barrel; a cylindrical ,"core` puller telescopically disposed within said core barrel;` inclined complementary 40 surfaces formed on the lowere'nds of said core lbarrel and corepuller for contracting thel lower periphery olf the core puller on 'relatlvelo'ngitudinal movement Abetween the `barrel ,Tand j core: puller; and lmeans" within said pilothouse lfor rotating the .drive shaft verticaliyineminent.`` i 9- A shaft Vsinking.:mechanism comprising: s

' cylindrical pilot house; a drive .shaft extending through thevlowe'r end of said pilot house and secured at its lower end to a corerbarrel; a drill shoe secured to the toot of said coreblrreli a f cylindrical core,Y puller ytel'esdoplcalljr within said core r`barrel; means for radially oonsnq its.

tracting the lower periphery o! said-core puller:y n

means. within'said pilot house for rotating'. said drive'shaft; and j longitudinal passageway exe tending` throughsaid drill shoe i'or admitting a l0. ashaft'sinkingmechanisni comprising'zfa cylindrical pilot house; a drive shaft extending through the lower end :ofv saidpilothou'se and secured yat its lowerend 4to afecte-barrel; a cylindrical core miller-ftelescopically within said core barrel; latch means "fr'sus-lr pending said core puller within thev core barrel:

means for radially contracting the lower periph# ery :of said core puller;` and Vsaid pilot vhouse forrotating the drive shaft andoontrolling its vertical movement.A

* 11. A snaitsinxing mechanism communs closed jcylindrical pilot house: a drive shatterv tending through` theilower end of said pilot house and secured at its lowerend to a core "barrel:

a drill shoe secured tothe foot oi said corerbarrel,y the outer diameterfof said shoebeing greater than the outerdiameter o f said abend secured totheY outer periphery for the'upner vend 'of said barrel.' tliooixter diameterof said band being substantially to the-outer diameter of said drill shoe; and meanswlthin tlfiepilotl i house for rotatingsaid Y JOHNBBANNER moon;

` charge of dynamite to s.v point beim; md sh-.. l 

